Revival chances up for goods station, harbour terminus

The single-line track up to Pachalam from what was once Ernakulam Goods station has been cleared of weeds ahead of the Southern Railway General Manager's visit. Photo: H. Vibhu

The project to revive what was once Ernakulam Goods (ERG) station into a passenger terminus is set to get a push with the Southern Railway General Manager Rakesh Misra scheduled to visit the premises on Tuesday.

The past few days saw hectic activity on the 39-acre ERG station premises and the single-line track up to Pachalam. Five excavators were engaged to clear mud and weeds from the track that is still intact.

“We identified encroachments into railway property, following which the boundary was demarcated. A notice will soon be issued to encroachers to leave the area,” said Ernakulam Area Manager of the Southern Railway P.L. Ashok Kumar.

The station can house five platforms, three pitlines and three stabling lines. Surprisingly, the amenities were not utilized though Ernakulam Junction and Town stations are hard pressed for space.

Early this year, the Southern Railway had forwarded a Rs 300-crore project to the Railway Board to renovate and revive the station and the adjoining track.

“We need Rs. 100 crore to tidy the station premises and to begin skeletal service of passenger trains. The project can kick off if funds are earmarked in the oncoming railway budget,” Mr. Ashok Kumar said.

During his visit, Mr. Misra is also expected to hold discussions with officials of the Cochin Port Trust and Food Corporation of India on transporting more goods through rail, thus decongesting highways.

He will review amenities at Harbour Terminus railway station in Wellingdon Island, which fell into disuse after train services were called off following a dredger ramming into Venduruthy bridge.

The construction of new Venduruthy railway bridge is suffering inordinate delay. The approaches on either side have to be linked with the bridge portion.